The Accidental Malay

by Karina Robles Bahrin

Winner of the 2022 Epigram Books Fiction Prize

Jasmine Leong wants to be the next CEO of Phoenix, her family's billion-ringgit company known especially for its bak kwa. But when Jasmine discovers she is actually a Malay Muslim, her newfound identity threatens to upend her life and ambitions. Set in Kuala Lumpur and other areas of Malaysia, The Accidental Malay examines the human cost of a country's racial policies, and paints a portrait of a woman unwilling to accept the fate history has designated for her.

Genres: Fiction, Asia, Novels, Religion, Contemporary, Romance, Family

253 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

Karina Robles Bahrin got her first break as a writer when she guest edited a weekly teen column in The New Straits Times a very long time ago. Her short fiction has been published in venues such as Urban Odysseys: KL Stories, KL Noir: Blue, A Subtle Degree of Restraint & Other Stories and Malaysian Tales: Retold & Remixed. She is a former columnist with The Heat, a weekly by Focus Malaysia. She currently lives and works on the island of Langkawi, Malaysia. The Accidental Malay is her first novel.

Reviews

[N.F. Afrina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, well, well. Why am I surprised?

I hate putting disclaimers but since this is a controversial book, any form of like/ dislike is controversy. I'd like to preface this review with the fact that my dislike mostly comes to Jasmine's personality and the hurtful portrayals in the book. I am in no way opposed against justice and peace in Malaysia nor am I a supporter of corrupt Malaysian politicians for not liking this book. If you notice, the negative reviews written for this book are not even from Malays.

"Conservative Malays will not like this book" is a very dangerous generalisation to stamp on a fictional book. Ironically, I should say that is a very conservative statement. What makes this book so special to be deemed immune against being disliked upon? isn't it nature for fiction to be criticised and seen from different angles? How could not liking a book = makes a person conservative when there are many more reasons to not like a work of fiction. I have given many other books 1-2 stars before, so what does that make me then?

Now that we have put aside the disclaimers we can get on with it.

Brief synopsis: The Accidental Malay introduces to us, a "truly" Chinese woman who is inheriting her grandmother's billion ringgit worth Bak Kwa business. One day she finds out that she is actually Malay in some way. This had caused an uproar among the Malaysian politicians who want to use this as their campaign material.

Despite the synopsis and the way this book was marketed, it is not as revolutional as it seems. I came in with an open heart, wanting to be blown away. Instead, I was deeply disappointed.

As a Malay, I don't find this book offensive. As a Muslim, I found this very heartbreaking and exhausting.

I found Jasmine's character very out of touch with reality. She was dubbed as the Bak Kwa princess and was set to inherit the company, though not once in the book did they justify why she was right for it. She barely cared about the company other than the money and was more concerned on how everyone was trying to "take it from her" than actually caring about the essence. Then there was her relationship with Iskandar. The fact that she was okay going behind his wife for years gave me a really bad impression on her character. Yes, she got her revelation in the end but not even once did she pity the other woman. It just screams entitlement, from the company to her relationships.

The side characters were less insufferable but they all feel like chess pieces. Men fawn over her, women envy her.

About the setting , I like the descriptions of Malaysia though I could not relate to half of the descriptions of Malaysia in the book since it involves pubs and rich people places. There were mere mentions of roadside stalls and eating next to longkangs but that was all. The characters were all too snobby to go there at this point of their lives. I appreciate the other half of the settings though.

Enough beating around the bush, let's talk about the book's mentions of Malays and Muslims . I am both Malay and Muslim and I acknowledge how delicate this matter is. I am not trying to force anything on anyone, again, just highlighting the harmful portrayal instead of the concept itself.

Personally, I think, if all Malay muslims are as what Jasmine encounters in the book, I wouldn't want to be Malay myself. Her feelings were valid. However, Jasmine is not just a character. She does not exist in a bubble. The author mainly spurs out the corrupt side of Malay Muslim politicians and never bothered to balance it with redeeming qualities of other Malay muslims, allowing "Muslims" to be represented by these power hungry politicians who only use religion for their sake. We already know they are extremist swindlers, AND??? Continue???? What is the takeaway from this?

The author used this again and again and again with equation to Jasmine's hatred for Muslims, until there is no room for redemption of the issue as a whole. It all felt biased, one-sided and fueled by an agenda of hate. It is hard to listen to a biased narration when you feel the agenda pushing up against you.

Let me justify.

I mostly don't have a problem with the way 'Malays' are portrayed in the book because as much as we want to deny it, some Malays are only Muslim by name. They bend rules and make up new ones for their needs. We call them "penunggang agama".

"You Malays are something else. You don't just have one set of rules, especially when money is involved. Sometimes I think you're more Chinese than us. I never know where the lines are with this people."

But then, the author starts talking about how in Islam, you don't have a choice:

"The thought of having a choice in his faith never arising because its forbidden. Forbidden and assumed."

This is further justified by how the politicians are forcing her to be a Muslim. (Highlight: 'politicians', not even Islam. Since she had never said the syahada, she was never Muslim. Religion is not a race that you inherit. It's not like being Malay).

I mean, fine, she doesn't want to be Muslim because it's her choice. Even in the Quran, it is stated "Let there be no compulsion in religion." [Al-Baqarah: 256] . The one forcing her is not Islam itself but the politicians. But this again was never balanced with the true situation other than the accusations of the corrupt politicians.

Other than the politicians, the other Muslims in the story are Jasmine's mother and a girl called April Kamilla. Both seemed to share these conservative politicians views when everyone knows in real life, that's not the case. Trust me in real life nobody cares about her being Muslim except for the politicians and the the illiterate who fell victim to the politic fallacies.

The author then proceeds to use this excuse of hatred to spew out very offensive dialogues on God every time Jasmine breaks out in her tantrums.

There is this one part of the book that I see quoted everywhere:

"To be Malay today means to be Muslim, little else. Even that is nor a constant, its borders shifting according to whoever shouts loudest.
The Malays are suffocating, their old histories denied. The vacuum left behind from the erasure of their past is filled only with God and His Word."

This is supposed to be the kind of quote that just hits you. But I feel the mark had been missed even before it was shot. Islam had been part of the land of Malaya's culture for centuries. It is part of the culture, just as our attires, traditions and songs. It is shown through the heritage of Jawi that has written historical scriptures and letters in the past. This is why secularism is a scam. Islam is a way of life, not just something you use in prayer and you want a set of rules to follow. Of course it is embedded in culture and history of everything it touches.

Perhaps if this quote is used in another context it could be justified. But imagine saying this just because some politicians got to you with their agendas when in true context, you're not even Muslim in the first place.

To make it worst, the author follows the statement with this:

"A religion from a country many Malays have never visited - a place of dusty, shifting sands older than time that would never recognise the Malays as their brethren.

Do I really need to react to this statement? I have heard this "slur" about Islam being a religion someone made up for ages. I did not expect to hear it from a "Malaysian" with many religions co-existing with each other.

This further solidifies the author's hate agenda, though it is not as direct as other books, hiding behind the conflicts of a fictional character. Even if the author does not mean to send a message of hate, the end product of this book gave exactly that. Ignorance is still harmful.

Hate all the politicians and the corrupt Malays you like, but don't be so elitist and blind to not acknowledge the rest of us that actually care about peace, willing to listen and tolerate.

At the start of the book, the author commemorates the Malay proverb: "Siapa yang makan cili, dia lah yang terasa pedasnya. He who eats the chilli is the one who feels its heat. . But most of us Malaysians can take the heat. But if you serve food that tastes like trash, people are still going to spit it out.

I hope I have not offended anyone with this review for it is never my intention.

-

Check out these reviews that I mostly agree with:

Jenny's review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Squilvia's review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Serena's review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Khai Jian (KJ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"To be Malay today means to be Muslim, little else. Even that is not a constant, its borders shifting according to whoever shouts loudest. The Malays are suffocating, their old histories denied. The vacuum left behind from the erasure of their past is filled only with God and His Word...Instead of the rich, lilting melodies of their culture, there is this. Screaming, mindless hordes, angry without knowing why, not brave enough to confront the gaping hole of loss their vitriol stems from, waving Islam like a flag. A religion from a country many Malays have never visited - a place of dusty, shifting sands older than time that would never recognise the Malays as their brethren."

The above quote sets the tone and tenor of the story, the level of boldness, courage, and precision in expressing and penning down the current state of Malaysia with Karina Robles Bahrin's occasional lyrical prose. The plot of the story is simple. Jasmine Leong wants to be the next CEO of Phoenix, a billion-ringgit company known especially for its "bak kwa" (those who lived in Malaysia long enough would know how important a "bak kwa" is to the Chinese, especially during the Chinese New Year). When her grandmother passed away, she discovers that she is actually a Malay Muslim. Such a discovery not only threatens her identity, but also her life and ambitions.

When such a simple plot is placed in the setting of Malaysia, a country where race and religion are always tools for its politicians and rulers to pursue their personal interests and to stay relevant, that is when things get interesting and tricky. In an era where Malaysians are hyper-sensitive about everything anyone said or writes, where "cancel culture" is THE CULTURE in dealing with opposing or unfavorable views, Karina's bold approach in exploring race and religion in Malaysia is truly a gem and a stand-out in the sea of Malaysian literature: "Like many other Malays (even those from well-off families), he had to serve out his scholarship bond. His parents never had to worry about putting their children through university. The government took care of that. Unlike the Chinese, who had no safety nets waiting to catch their fall"; "...it is not his fault - he was born a Muslim - but neither does he question it, the thought of having a choice in his faith never arising because it is forbidden. Forbidden and assumed.". Underlying the humour and romance elements, Karina explored very heavy and complicated themes, most of which are close to the hearts of Malaysians: the notion of freedom of religion in Malaysia, deeply rooted institutionalized racism, what it truly means to be a Muslim or a Malay in Malaysia, the dichotomy and complicated relationship between race and religion, when can religion be truly free from the chains of race? Despite these dim and gloomy issues, Karina instilled a sense of hope and questioned: But why are we still here in Malaysia? Our love of the country certainly triumphs over whatever shit or twisted lies that the politicians or rulers are trying to inject into us. Malaysia is still where our being belongs, where we are rooted.

The Accidental Malay is truly a very Malaysian book (not to mention Karina's beautiful and attentive descriptions of KL and Ipoh are impeccable), and a worthy 5/5 star read especially on the eve of Malaysia Day. It is a time for us to celebrate the beauty of multiracial culture before it is tainted by greed and personal agendas. Thanks to @readlahwei and @endless_chapter for organising such a meaningful book tour. Do join the contest (details are set out in the last picture)! Passing the baton to @endless_chapter. #malaysiansreadmalaysia

[serena · Rating 2 out of 5]

i think it’s a 2.5 from me.

i tend to be extra critical when it comes to malaysian literature, so perhaps this rating is rather ungenerous of me. sadly, this did nothing much for me apart from the sharp social commentary which was surprising, coming from an author of malay descent. being malaysian though, none of it was new to me, having grown up amongst these very issues myself. it might be interesting for someone who would like to learn more about malaysia and the sociopolitical issues that plague it.

the accidental malay follows jasmine leong lin li, a careerwoman and heir to the phoenix company, the family empire she has slaved decades of her life away for. when the company is finally hers upon the passing of her grandmother, she finds out that she is actually malay. this causes an uproar by politicians, all out in a frenzy to crucify her, a newly discovered muslim, for running a non-halal business. there’s corporate drama, family drama, political drama, and hot-and-spicy sexual drama in this slim 200-page novel. a little too many things going on to focus on any one of them in depth, in my opinion.

amidst the myriad of issues it tries to tackle, i found the characterizations rather poor, and the plot overly idyllic. not everyone gets to flee this country and its fanatical laws. we’re not all that privileged. i am tired of all the stories of malaysia/singapore revolving only around the wealthy, when most of us live outside the T20 bracket. personally, i feel a little sad how the genre has seemingly been reduced to a just a select group of its population.

on the matter of who-gets-to-tell-whose stories, i am not sure how i feel about a malay-filipina author writing on the chinese experience. no doubt the backlash would have been great, had this been written by a chinese, what with all its criticisms of the malay race and islam religion. i just feel that the chinese references could have been more accurate, especially the title by which we address our relatives. it is a complex web, but it really isn’t that hard to get right with a bit more research.

it is a sad sociopolitical climate that we live in today. “divide and conquer” still looms over our heads, despite over six decades of independence from the british who coined that very plan. the accidental malay lays down the cold hard truth that there is no true escape today, other than forsaking the very country we call home.

[Squilvia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jasmine Leong Lin Li is a Mary Sue.

There I said it.

She is a Mary Sue who is also a spoiled rich damsel in distress. The author tries to somewhat diluted this by stating early on in the book that Jasmine is not beautiful but "attractive" yet you can see how almost every characters’ lives—especially the gay token dude—constantly revolve around her. If they are men, they would either fawn over her or want her as their lover; if they are women, they would fall into this shallow and cliché troupe of two dimensional h03s who are jealous of her existence.

I did not believe for a second that she’s capable or even deserves to be called the Bak Kwa Princess, let alone be named the next CEO of Phoenix, a billion-ringgit company. She wasn’t even smart enough to use her wealth to her advantage to solve her problems, except on one occasion when she hired a detective. You never heard the phrase ‘money is king’ meh?

It took me almost a week to finish reading this book because I can't stop rolling my eyes or quietly angry rant to myself.

I feel like this book is trying to be so many things at once (cultural, historical, romance, etc,.) that it barely grazed the top of the water; the main conflict of the story: Jasmine's identity.

Halfway through the book, I feel like I'm more lost than the main character herself on her own identity. Like what am I reading? Is this a Colleen Hoover’s book? There are so much sex and melodrama! Like oh my God! We get it. She's a sexually active woman and oh so in love with a Malay man, but please, FOCUS. (this is just my preference so to each their own)

The characters. I don’t know why, but there seems to be an obvious, stark difference in the author’s preference for Chinese over Malay characters. I can’t help but wonder if the author dislikes the idea of conservative Malays and decided to portray Malaysia similarly in this book. It might work with ‘outsiders’ or foreigners, but as a working-class Malaysian, I feel like I’m living in a different Malaysia than the one she describes. I can count on one hand the number of decent non-Chinese characters in this book. Only chronically online person would think like this.

The conflict. Everything is too easily resolved at the end. Oh you're a homophobic parent? Well now you're no longer are after your son introduced you to a green eyes white fella who knows how to cook Chinese food. Smh. Angry at your niece who is denying your rights to the company? No more angry after eating food together. All is good. One more—conflicting over your identity as Malay or Chinese? Just leave the country. Problem solved.

Overall, it's not bad. The writer did do her research adequately and have a strong writing skill to prove it. The idea is also unique but I'm kinda tired of rich people drama/story. Very Tv3 drama petang2 vibe with a hint of spice. Also a good try at diving into the complicated relationship of race and religion in Malaysia. I just wish it could be more.

Random comments:

I ugly cackled at Hidup Islam! Hidup Melayu! 😂 and laughed out loud when she out of nowhere yelled "Your people killed my father!" to Iskandar 🤣 bestie pleaseee kelako lah kau nyahh, member tu lahir pun belum lagi masa tu.

[Leona the avid dash user · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a Malaysian, it’s time for you to read this book.

🍀Favourite excerpt:
“The anger, yes, that was the British’s fault. Divide and conquer, they said. We’re not all bad, we never were. Most of us were just trying to get by. The country was still so young, so new. When you build a dam in a hurry, you ignore how strong the undertow is below. At some point, it breaks, it’s currents sweeping small humans like insects, into the swirl.”

🍀 Story
- Fairly straightforward. It starts with a successful Chinese businesswoman, Jasmine Leong who wants to be the next CEO of Phoenix, which is her family’s billion-ringgit company known especially for pork jerky (bak kwa). However, her newfound identity as a Malay Muslim (being biracial children of her Chinese and Malay parents), threatens to take a hit in her life and ambitions. And here’s where Jasmine’s identity-searching journey begins.

🍀Thoughts
- The author does not hold back from firing confrontational questions on the human cost of Malaysia’s racial policies and the mindset of general public of our country which is caused by the systemic discrimination that have been long embedded and operated on the multifaceted aspects of the Malaysian society, such as education, Muslim commitment and political representation.
- Those questions are debated by many but never quite answered, mostly blurred by political or religious influences. I believe the author was inspired by the real life events that happened in the modern urban Malaysia, especially during the administration of our ex-prime minister Najib Razak and also some important historical events post-British colonial, such as the racial riot of May 13 in the year of 1969.
- Her boldness in squaring up to such sensitive topics is the reason why I absolutely fell in love with The Accidental Malay. I would label this book as “critically honest and courageous” for that the author does not sugar-coat the flaws in our social & cultural system.
As Suffian Hakim puts it, this book is a “deeply nuanced study in the sometimes suffocating intertwining of race and religion for Malay-Muslims”.

🍀Conclusion
Karina voiced out the silenced voices of many Malaysians. A voice that modern Malaysians deserve to amplify proud and loud. My favourite excerpt above mirrored the most vital conversation in which Malaysians should ask themselves. After 65 years of independence from Britain and at the same time, 59 years after the formation of Malaysia federation, are we ready to acknowledge the injustices in our system and willing to challenge the existing ideology? I hope we will all be ready to have this conversation, which is long overdue.

[Fatini Zulkifli · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the book claims to be controversial, I found it to be less so. As a Malay Muslim, I acknowledge that there are individuals within our community who resemble the Malay Muslim characters depicted in this novel. However, I felt uneasy realizing that the author portrayed all Malay Muslims in the book with negative traits.

The plot and language of the book are actually quite good. However, I was extremely annoyed with the main character, Jasmine. She was a major turn-off for me. When I first read about Jasmine, I envisioned her to be similar to Chryseis Tan, the daughter of billionaire Tan Sri Vincent Tan. I admire Chryseis Tan for her work ethics, style, and her success as a businesswoman. Chryseis Tan converted to Islam to marry her Malay-Muslim boyfriend, and they now have a successful marriage with two children.

However, Jasmine in this book bears no resemblance to Chryseis Tan. Jasmine lacks elegance and wisdom; she comes across as an emo teenager. Personally, I don't believe she possesses the qualities necessary to run a billion-dollar business, not because she is a woman, but because she lacks the necessary leadership skills. Furthermore, Jasmine's actions are foolish. I can't comprehend how she could engage in unprotected sex with a Malay Muslim cheater. Didn't you learn about birth control in school, Jasmine?

Upon discovering her pregnancy, Jasmine starts blaming the country, her birth mother, and the system, among other things. It's also disheartening to witness her excessive emotional and physical attachment to Iskandar at the beginning of the story. I understand that Jasmine has nobody else in the world, which is why she clings to Iskandar. However, shouldn't life's challenges make her stronger? She should have simply left Iskandar, as he is clearly a red flag. Jasmine should have known better considering their different lifestyles and avoided any romantic involvement with a Malay Muslim man.

When the public learns that Jasmine is actually Malay, there is an uproar. At this point, I expected the situation to resemble the Natrah case from 1950. However, I found it cringey to read about Burhanuddin staging a rally on the street. It seemed unnecessary to hold a rally for someone like Jasmine. People don't engage in such acts anymore in the 21st century.

At this stage, I no longer blame Iskandar. I hold Jasmine responsible for her foolishness in pursuing a relationship across racial and religious lines, as well as for her lack of judgment in engaging in unprotected sex. Dear Jasmine, with all your wealth, couldn't you have sought some form of birth control treatment?

There was a statement which says, "conservative Malays will not like this book." What's wrong with being conservative? What's wrong with not liking this book? We live in a free country, and readers should have the freedom to express their opinions, just as the author exercised their freedom of speech by incorporating controversial scenes. Moreover, readers have invested their money in this book, so they have the right to provide feedback and criticism. As an author, one should not judge readers by labeling them as 'conservative' if they dislike the book. Authors should avoid arrogance, as readers are the ones who contribute to their income. Personally, I don't mind being called conservative. I would rather be conservative than blindly conform to Western culture and ideologies.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had really high hopes for this novel thinking it would be an interesting and insightful social commentary about our social and political climate, but it just falls flat.

⏺️The Theme
The book is a little confused about its direction with too many themes to focus on at once (political drama, family drama, romance) that it never focuses on one theme anymore than a few pages. Issues that were brought up 2 pages ago suddenly have a resolution. Characters that are feuding seem to have made up by the end of the book without any actual resolution.

⏺️ The characters
I really, REALLY hate the protagonist, Jasmine. She’s painted out to be this messy heroine and sort of a damsel-in-distress type but in truth is just a rich kid that is able to solve her issues through her wealth. It was just really hard to root for the poor little rich girl character.

The other characters are just boring, dull, and 2-dimensional. Their dialogues and personalities are cliché (the hunky dude who instantly falls for her, the other unreliable love interest who loves her but isn’t right for her. The token gay character, etc.).

The characterization of Malays in this book made you wonder if the author hates Malays seeing as most of the characters (particularly the more moderate or conservative Malay characters) showed no redeeming qualities. I was hoping at least when she met up again with April Kamila after they were grown, that there would be a moment where she and Jasmine make amends and possibly challenges Jasmine’s assumptions of Malay Muslims.

There was also a missed opportunity with her mother, who only serves as a plot device that served as a reason for Jasmine to hate Malays and Muslims with even more intense fervor. It would’ve been nice to explore this dynamic a lot more and see her make peace with her past instead of running away from her issues.

However, not all Malay Muslims were portrayed badly. If you are a Malay Muslim who openly drinks, sleeps around, and are what conservatives’ ideas of a “liberal” Malay are, that makes you a decent human being who is tolerant of other races and faiths (according to the author). But as is the case with characters like Iskandar and Tunku Mahmud, these are their only defining characteristics.

⏺️Conclusion
The Accidental Malay is a book that exists. It had a lot of opportunities to really delve into the topic of identity as a person of mixed-race in a multicultural society with decades-old racial policies. But it didn’t bother to dive deeper and just fell flat instead, choosing a rather idealized view.

I understand that it is a hard topic to broach and it should be approached delicately. However, I think this book did not want to commit to talking about the heavier topics and didn’t really do much towards the end to resolve some of the main conflicts brought up throughout this book.

If you’re a fan of those romance-comedy/chic-lit novels, maybe you’d like this. If not, I would suggest you skip this one.

[Deedle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A portrait of a woman unwilling to accept the fate history has designated for her."

Sold!

As a non-Malaysian who has lived in and loved Malaysia for many years, I was very keen to read The Accidental Malay, and it didn't disappoint.

The plot is simple, but the characterization and the engagement with issues plaguing Malaysian society and politics is not. Each country, whether it admits it or not, is shaped by its history, and Bahrin picks up the viscerally honest story of one Malaysian woman, and her struggles with her own identity to depict this.

I came away educated and entertained, because despite the blistering commentary Bahrin doesn't lose a light touch of humor, and often acerbic wit.

As entertaining as it is insightful, The Accidental Malay is a must-read for not just those who want to know and understand Malaysia better, but everyone who is curious about identity politics, and the ways in which race and religion can often vitiate and divide societies.

[Naqibah (_ibsread) · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 star

Let’s start with the good things. I applauded the author’s writing skill because I’ve been dropping books since 2023 starts but this one made me want to keep reading it. I guess it came from her 20 years of corporate communication. It also highlighted some important social and racial policing issues as well as laying down the hard truths about Malaysia. One which I’ve been supporting is even playing field when it comes to education.

But just that.

I feel like this book tries to be a lot of things. It tries to tackle heavy social issues while being quirky and romantic. Most Malay characters have no redemption arc. Even when they do, it’s after some big shitty incident. Some supposed-to-be-important figure in Jasmine’s life is introduce to us only to have no meaning to the plot. All Malay characters are either one/two-dimensional, none were complex which a really missed-out opportunity. I have absolutely no problem in condemning the corrupted politikus but all comments of Malay heritage and culture and ISLAM, about our holy place just infuriates me. Mind you, this is coming from a non-Muslim with no Malay upbringing character who her constant Malay companion is a non-practicing cheater Muslim man who only knows how to fawn and say sorry all the time. It’s just a blatant bad representation of Malay Muslim. No effort of balancing that out when it’s obvious she did it for the Chinese characters.

You can hate the corrupted, immoral Malays all the way but don’t live in a bubble and say none of us care for each other. Also, it just feels wrong of Malay-Filipino author telling the story of a Chinese character.

[Ally Mukhriz · Rating 1 out of 5]

It took me a while to write this review because I had to gather my thoughts. Suffice it to say, here’s my lowdown - this book was just not for me.

Don’t get me wrong, there were parts of the book I liked, such as recognising some places being mentioned and relating to SOME of the content, but it wasn’t enough to redeem the book in my eyes. This was the first novel I’ve read by a local author and I was really excited! I really wanted to read something that I could specifically relate to - Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan came close but this was ~closer~. From where the book is set, to the themes the book’s discussing - this is my every day!

[WARNING: spoiler ahead!]

The book follows Jasmine Leong, an heir to a billion-dollar bak kwa company who is suddenly faced with the reality that she was actually born a Muslim following the death of her grandmother. I was really looking forward to see many different perspectives. There will obviously be the bigots and radicals (which exist and is heavily highlighted in the book) and maybe the perspective of some Malays with empathy. After all, she had no idea she was Muslim.

What I found was a half-hearted attempt to show the differences between the races in Malaysia and I found it very polarising. Maybe I’m biased, but I found the words describing the Malays incredibly negative and I didn’t think any of the Malay characters were redeemable. The main character is supposed to be in the upper echelons of society, yet you’re telling me that nobody is tolerant and understanding? Sure, there was an ‘uncle’ in the form of a hypothetical royal who helped her, but I felt his character was such an afterthought, that he just existed in the story without much depth.

Half way through the book, we find out her mother is still alive. I was thinking, okay, here is where we get some sort of redemption. Her mother, after all, had her illegitimately and fell in love with her Chinese father. She’d understand Jasmine’s plight. She’d show some support. Love conquers all! Right?!
No!

Instead, we get an attempt to convert her, more hatred towards the Malays and add on a psychotic step-father (who’s a hypocritical politician using Jasmine’s ‘situation’ for political gain) - *yawn*. Is this unrealistic in Malaysia? No. We see this all the time. But there was no growth, no redemption. The character just flees the country because there’s just no hope. Hope. That’s what this book needed.

Focusing on the racial complexities of Malaysia was such a highlight of the book that the other areas were lacking. We’re told that Jasmine is smart, strong, business savvy and heir to a fortune. Yet, all we really see is her moping and her going back to the same toxic ex. Towards the end of the book, I found that a lot of her decisions were aided by others, whether an aunt, the royal or her new sexy beau (who is a non-Muslim, obviously). The beginning of the book really set her up as this strong headed, boss woman, yet all I got was a half-strong woman who essentially ran away from her problems.

I’m sorry if this was not the review you expected. I’m just disappointed. Sure, the economic policies are accurate but the human complexities are not. As a woman who married into a family of Chinese, with almost all of my father-in-law’s siblings converting to Islam, it’s very disheartening to see this book showing little or none of that empathetic side. Again, maybe this book is just not for me.

Final Review: ⭐️/5

[Delaney Zook · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sorry but… this ain’t it. This story was predictable. It has been there and it’s done that. The only thing keeping this book interesting was the Malaysian culture aspect of this book. Now THAT I was eating up. Now that I know more about Malaysia, I was just having the best time reading it. But other than that???? This book was just nooooot iiiiitt.

First, the plot was predictable. It’s giving Crazy Rich Asians. The writing was not my fav. It was so fast paced and I felt like she could’ve expanded on a lot of things to make it flow better and make it more interesting and make it make more sense. Things were happening left and right!! I couldn’t keep up! The characters were one dimensional and I didn’t really like any of them to be honest with you. Especially our main girl. She was annoying, selfish, rude, naive and for a 40 year old woman she acted like a child. She was sleeping with married men and acting like an alcoholic. Girl needed HELP. I wasn’t rooting for her. I was practically booing her.

The book also just did not represent Malaysia well. We were dealing with a very small certain group of people in Malaysia and I think I wanted more of the culture of Malaysia not whatever this was. So maybe that’s might fault but besides the like basic food, locations and language of Malaysia… everything else was very niche. I wouldn’t recommend this book to any of my American friends because they don’t know Malaysia and they won’t know the good parts of Malaysia after reading this.

That brings me to my next point of how Muslims are talked about in this book…. They are not represented well. There is (again) a small group of Muslims that MAY act like the Muslims in this book, but not all Muslims act like that and it just doesn’t represent them well. Another reason I wouldn’t recommend Americans reading this is because they seem to already have a weird view of Muslims and reading this book will not help that perspective which sucks because isn’t this book supposed to talk about Malaysian culture? Which is very Muslim? Idk but I didn’t even appreciate their representation much but maybe some Malays would disagree??

Overall, I really enjoyed reading about the food, places, language and things like that but not much else. It was a quick read which I appreciate but so much of this was just hard to read. I didn’t like the writing style, the misrepresentation is annoying, I didn’t like any character, there is useless information added in which made it confusing and a lot of situations that didn’t make sense. (For example: *spoiler* why didn’t Iskander not put up more of a fight for his kid…?) I’m disappointed. Sorry y’all.

[Asmita · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh boiiii this was NOT IT. It is rare for me to feel SO ANGRY after reading a book.

I was initially excited by the premise and having recently returned from Singapore, during which I'd had many conversations with Malay friends about the different ethnic communities, I was keen to dip in. Unfortunately the Accidental Malay was a real disappointment. I started it with high hopes but it got progressively worse, especially after the halfway point.

*spoilers below*

A major issue with this book is that for a novel that claims identity as its main issue, there is remarkably little exploration of identity. There is, dare I say, a narrow-minded stubbornness to cling to one particular identity and a total rejection of any other. It is not to say that there aren't people out there who do this. But when the synopsis of the book is essentially a wealthy Chinese heiress realises she is actually Malay, it raises certain expectations. You expect that to provoke some in-depth reflections about identity. Some attempt by a person to better understand their roots or heritage. There really isn't much of that at all. And it's very very bizarre. The only people thinking about her identity and causing a fuss about it are shady corrupt politicians and their hordes of fanatical followers. They constantly remind Jasmine that she shouldn't be running a non-halal business and make her life difficult. That is all of the thinking about identity that comes out of this book. At the age of 40, no one is expecting Jasmine to suddenly change her life and/or convert to Islam. She has been raised her entire life in one particular way. But there is such a strange disparity between the set-up and the execution of the novel. 

Jasmine's meeting with her mother was a key point through which some level of meaningful reflection could have occurred. Sadly, it is a painful interaction that made me cringe. First and foremost, Jasmine is remarkably judgemental about the fact her mother gives her up at the age of 19 after her husband is murdered in riots days after her birth. Her pettiness might be understandable from a teenager who has recently discovered they were adopted, but Jasmine is in her 40s and has lived a very privileged life. This segment was giving Crazy Rich Asians tbh. The reason I find it particularly irritating is that Jasmine has unintentionally ended up pregnant, talks about how unprepared she is, noting the fact that she is barely capable of feeding herself and considers an abortion. Even knowing that she is separating from Iskander, she has plenty of money that will ensure she has an easier time raising a child as a single parent. So I’m surprised that she has not a single iota of sympathy or understanding towards her birth mother. She doesn't even wonder throughout her pregnancy what it might have been like for her mother to be in the situation she was. Honestly Jasmine is a very self-centred character throughout the book and that's another bugbear. She spends years having an affair with Iskander, not caring in the slightest that he is married. At one point, there is an offhand thought that if any apologies should happen, it would probably be from her to his wife. That's the only time she ever thinks of her impact on Iskander's marriage. Another point I want to complain about is how adoring all the men in her life are to her. Iskander, the Muslim Malay character, who loves her and cannot let her go. Lee Kuan Yew who instantly adores her (side note - it was SO weird that his name was Lee Kuan Yew, kind of funky but still made me double take each time?). Kevin, her gay cousin, is a trusty sidekick. I'm just not sure how 'deserving' Jasmine is all of this in addition to inheriting the company? At the very least, her character just seems to spend a lot of time moping in the book. She's self-centred, narrow-minded and a bit petty. Not quite what I expected from a middle-aged woman raised by the formidable Pau Pau. Honestly, I think Aunt Ruth should have been running the company instead.

Returning to this idea of identity, the resolution of the book is strange. Jasmine decides that she must move to Hong Kong otherwise her child will be a Muslim according to the state. She is going to raise her child in a Chinese-majority environment and buy Dominican citizenship. She is going to put the name of a Chinese man on her daughter’s birth certificate to avoid future complications. Is this not, on some level, a deliberate form of identity erasure? For a book about identity, is this not essentially running away from one’s home? Jasmine has choices. Why is the answer - there is no place for me and my daughter in Malaysia.

What I would like to have seen is a nuanced approach to this issue. A more holistic commentary on Malay society and rules. Why is her only choice to flee from Malaysia? Was there truly no other way to navigate the issue? Why couldn’t she have moved to HK on a temporary basis, set up the business, raised her daughter for a couple of years and wait for Malay society to move onto other things and then make her return. For a powerful and wealthy woman, Jasmine does not seem to be going about things in the best way. She almost seems happier to escape her problems rather than face them as her Pau Pau would. It was strange how little impact Pau Pau’s upbringing seem to have had on her.

By the end of the book - the thing that irks me most is the very real undercurrents of islamaphobia/racism in the book. Jasmine is physically assaulted twice in this book - both times by a Malay Muslim man. Iskander getting angry and violent is SO out of left field that it might be the most unexpected moment of the book. Before and after that very moment, he is a calm and respectable young man.

On this point about alcohol, I'm also seething because the only 'redeeming' Muslim characters are very liberal and non-practising (they drink a lot of alcohol and consume pork). Even the meeting with April right at the end, where I thought we might find a redeeming moment, entrenches this agenda further. At that point, I felt extremely uncomfortable and any benefit of the doubt had gone down the drain. This book feels insidious in its treatment of Muslims and was deeply disappointing. 

The Accidental Malay is a book with a divisive agenda. It seeks to emphasise differences and divide. It is hostile to Islam. It seems to pander to an idea of Chinese supremacy. It does not encourage building bridges, moving on from stereotypes or cross-cultural bonding. This book is ammo for those who preach hate and intolerance. What a shame.

To those who felt similarly, I can strongly recommend The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaff. It felt like cleansing my soul after the disaster of this book. A brilliant novel that explores the racial riots of 1969 in Kuala Lumpur.

[ira · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can’t be bothered to give this book any more of my time so I don’t want to write a proper review but anyways here are my random ranty thoughts that I wrote in Notes while reading this disaster bcs I thought I could string this whole thing into a proper review but my goodness… no.

1. It is said that conservative Malays will not like this book. Considering that I am far from being one, I expected this book to present valid criticism about the Malay community and provide rich, thoughtful insights about the complexities of race and religion in Malaysia. Unfortunately, this book falls flat… in every way possible. It tries so be SO many things at once - romance, political drama, mistaken identity, social commentary- but it fails in every single one of them. This frustrates me more than the fact that this book is highly racist. There are so many points in which this story can be deeper, but the author didn’t have the capability to do it.

2. The author’s perspective about the Malay community feels like it comes from a bubble or an echo chamber. Perhaps author spends more time on Twitter than real life bcs the Malay community is way more complex than portrayed in the story. Or maybe the author is one of those self-hating Malays who only has liberal, non God-fearing friends that the author can’t fathom that Malays, just like any other groups of people, can’t be reduced to a single stereotype. Maybe. Maybe. 🤷🏻‍♀️ This book just missed the opportunity to present how the Malays too struggle with the dynamics of race and religion in this country, which I think is a huge shame. Someone can hate how religion is practiced in this country, but still be a devoted practising Muslim. We exist. But devoted practising Muslims are either reduced to shallow-minded, screaming bumbling baboons which for me is highly offensive, or just a vessel who keeps pushing their religion down people’s throat. On one hand, valid bcs there are people like that, but I always feel like reducing characters that are representative to groups of people into harmful stereotypes is a mark of bad writing. This book can be so much more if it’s in the hands of a better writer.

3. The scene with Jasmine’s Malay mother is heartbreaking!! This shows that when it comes to social status, T20 people are the same across all races. This woman explained that she left bcs she literally had nothing and your reaction was to have zero empathy and be all ME ME ME? Fucking hell.

4. More telling than showing. This book was a good bedtime story to me bcs of how BORING it was. I think some people might think that the author is able to string words to make beautiful sentences but for me, I want more than just beautiful complex sentences. I want words to disappear when I read them bcs the story comes alive, but this book can’t do it. Beauty without substance - this is what this book is.

5. Yo… At some point this book, the author decides to focus on the romance. After reading long explanation on her relationship with Iskandar, we suddenly get a whole relationship with Kuan Yew. It comes so suddenly to me. The sad thing is… Jasmine has no chemistry with both of them 😭 Again, I’m being TOLD that these two men love her and that she cares about them but I’m not seeing it! Stop telling and start showing!

6. Perhaps there are redeeming qualities that this book has but as it had committed a major crime (being boring and racist as hell), I can’t find any 🤷🏻‍♀️

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5 stars
___
Jasmine Leong was born on the 13th of May, 1969 to a Muslim convert father and a Malay mother. “A day when the dam broke” in this young independent country that has been under the British game of divide and rule. The father was killed by a Malay mob; the mother, overwhelmed with despair and helplessness, ended up giving the baby away. Under the tutelage of her formidable paternal grandmother, Jasmine grew up to be a successful businesswoman who is expected to take over from the grandmother as the next CEO of Phoenix, a family business that is worth billions of ringgit and famous for its bak kwa. However, little does she know that her life is going to change forever upon learning her origin and designated racial identity.

“The Accidental Malay” exposes the absurdity of a nation that is shackled by restricting religious codes and socio-cultural mores. It is one that is marked by the lack of freedom in choosing who one wants to be and what one wants. It dictates who is a friend, and who is an enemy; who to love, and the brevity required to trespass the forbidden territory. This is exactly where there is never a reconciliation between Jasmine and her mother, who in the end, like many, remains bound by the assigned identity at birth. To put it bounty, these people are caught in a state-invented, -promoted, and sponsored racial surveillance apparatus. That explains the episodes of bedlam when Jasmine’s identity as a Malay Muslim eventually gets exposed through the media. Society deems Jasmine’s circumstance (a born Muslima that involves in a ‘haram’ business selling bak kwa) nothing short of a scandal and controversy, most of all the Malay community who reacts to the whole incident with hostility.

Yet Jasmine is not some damsel in distress. On the contrary, throughout the story, she shows admirable steadfastness in both rejecting the identity forced upon her and preserving what she embraces. Thanks to her grandmother who always taught her to fight back in spite of the harsh reality that a girl “can never do enough.” But here she is, a female warrior who stands up against all the odds. A woman’s resistance towards the state. There is one particular which caught me off guard, in which Jasmine, after an unpleasant meeting with her mother, throws out of her car window the religious texts and headscarf from the latter. It is indeed a confrontational and acerbic scene that says a lot about how unswerving Jasmine is in preserving her dignity.

Things get trickier than ever when she learns about her expecting the baby of her Malay ex-lover, Iskandar. She is well aware that, if she were to stay, her child would be born a Muslim. That is the last thing she wants to happen. That is when she makes up her mind to move to another country to prevent religious fanatics from seizing her baby girl: “She is mine, and she is a Leong. [...] You people will not take what is mine away from me.” Jasmine’s resoluteness in not bowing down to anyone does come at a price in the form of exile for freedom. Nevertheless, such a forced displacement is not entirely a sorrowful event, for the love of her life, Kuan Yew, promises to always be there for her and the baby.

“The Accidental Malay” is a happily ever after kind of story. At once funny and slinky, it serves as a cautionary (or should I say realist, since there have been similar cases like Jasmine’s) polemic against how sinister and manipulative the state is in fanning religious fanaticism to mold a society marked by suspicion and anger among races. Above all, it is a tale about how an unapologetically courageous woman resists the very system that attempts to get hold of her but with no luck. An undoubtedly essential addition to Malaysian literature.

[Rainy Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You can never do enough. You will always need to do better. Nothing is ever promised to girls."

This book is quite... controversial. The Accidental Malay is about Jasmine Leong, the heiress to her grandmother's bak kwa business, suddenly found out that she's half Malay and Muslim. The secret her grandmother trying to conceal all her life. She faced challenges from there after the news somehow got leaked and her life turned upside down.

Personally, I love this book. The storyline, the plots, all are well written. It also took place in Malaysia, which, some things are relatable to me and it's fun reading about where you're from. But I just wish that the portrayal of Malay and Muslim people aren't as bad as this one. It feels like, when there's subject regarding Malay and Muslim in this book, the ones written portrayed like they're the worst people.

I'm not offended (as I myself, is a Malay and Muslim). But if we generalize all Malay and Muslims like that, it would confused a lot of people out there. This is just my personal opinion. Regardless, I like this book.

[Aizat Affendi · Rating 5 out of 5]

TW: If you're a hardline Malay and/or Muslim, skip this. If you can be objective and keep an open mind, by all means do.

Wow, what a rollercoaster this was. Imagine Crazy Rich Asians but throw in more Malays, politics, an identity crisis and a pregnancy into the mix! I get why some people may find it overwhelming because a hodgepodge is what it is but I guess sometimes life can be a bit much.. especially in Malaysia!

As a part Malay and part Chinese, I can see myself in Jasmine.. especially the part she's racially profiled by both the Malays and Chinese in the earlier part of the book. As a Muslim, I love how this book points out the hypocrisy of some of the urban Malay Muslims who drink alcohol but would shriek at the sight/smell of pork. I can say the same about religious men who smokes, smoking is also inpermissible in Islam. How Malay leaders would often bring about religious/racial sentiments to reign political power, when they are morally corrupt themselves. How one's perceived ideas of a religion maybe warped because of the way some Malay leaders (not the everyday ones) act and the ideologies that they perpetuate.

Love how the author had also infused some political jabs in this book. I chuckled at the mention of gay ministers (AA and HH?) and the Prime Minister was definitely MY! How it alluded on the fact that the Malay culture is a confluence of Hindu and Islamic teachings/practices. How our practices are now deemed bidaah (heresy) by fundamentalist/revivalist/purist Muslims, which follow a school of thought that is widely branded as "Wahabbism" and shunned by most Malay Muslims in Malaysia.. which is also hypocritical on their part because our "Islamic ways" are pretty un-Islamic, afterall.

[Charissa Ty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author has BALLS writing this novel. Kudos for her bravery. The story was great, characters interesting as well.

However, she over-describes things and thoughts. They don't really add any value to the main storyline. I wasted a ton of my energy imagining minute details that I don't really care about and it became exhausting after awhile.

[Jesie Randhawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - So this is my first MalaysianLit book and it was a wonderful start! Overall, I did enjoy it despite having major disagreements with particular things. But I’ll get to that later.

Based in Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh, we follow Jasmine Leong, the CEO of a multi-million ringgit business known for selling “bak kwa”, a Chinese pork jerky delight. In her forties, she is well established, yet unhappy in her own personal life, entertaining a forbidden romance. However, when secrets of her past and ethnicity come to the fore, the meddling of religion, politics and identity threaten to tear down her family business and everything she’s worked for.

Firstly, I loved the writing. It flowed seamlessly and was extremely readable, which meant I easily sped through the pages. Description is a superpower of Karina Robles Bahrin, and she very much encapsulated a lot of what I grew up knowing in KL and Malaysia. You know, something I’ve noticed a lot when reading SingaporeanLit is that in the quest to write about the local experience in English, it just comes out… awkward. As if, in a hurry, authors try to cram every Singaporean delicacy and quirk into their writing in order to really establish their setting. It kind of comes off like: “Bill loved his hometown New York, the Big Apple, and every Sunday, would grab a deli pizza slice, weave his way through Central Park to perch on the steps of the Met.” In other words, very in your face. But Bahrin naturally manages to escape the clichés and effortlessly ties in uniquely Malaysian things into the story without straining to do so. This is something I really appreciated coming from the angle of someone finding pleasure in reading about their own country and people!

The story arc and the central conflict was VERY interesting, although I could imagine for someone lacking patience it may not be the best read. The reason for this lies in Jasmine herself - the main character. Simply put, Jasmine is a very annoying person. She is someone I knew for a fact I’d dislike in real life, but also managed to be someone I rooted for. Aside from being entitled, selfish and judgemental, she’s also not very bright. She constantly spilled the beans on what should be highly coveted secrets, and then would later wonder why her dirty laundry had been aired out. But for some reason, she wasn’t so awful to read about which is what made this book intriguing to me. Warning: her cringeworthy romantic interests also felt like cardboard cutouts of “generic Asian male lead”.

Also, in general, conversations felt forced. I could instantly tell when the author was in uncharted territory, as if she’d copy and paste generic dialogue lines into conversations she wasn’t at home writing. There’s a lot of short, abrupt, emotionally-charged talks. Some scenes seemed like caricatures of real life where characters would lose their cool without warning in a conversation that just started - dramatically wailing, throwing fists or cursing someone to die. Dialogue is not Bahrin’s forte.

Now, here I will reveal my primary issue with the book and why it loses a couple of stars as a result. Look, I believe in artistic liberty and for writers to freely converse on whatever topic takes their fancy. Bahrin has chosen religion and politics here, which invites a back and forth of thoughts between the reader and the literature. I like that, and respect it.

However, I take issue with the portrayal of Islam and Malays. I’m not either of these - I’m half Malaysian, half Singaporean, and in both countries, I come from minority communities and religions, including Chinese. It’s true, Malaysia is not a sectarian country in any sense and its laws are extremely discriminatory to its minorities. In that vein, it is not progressive by far although it pretends to be. The race riots of 1969 are still fresh in the mind of those alive today, and the event has been hot-branded into the collective memory of millions of second-class citizens, despite the harmonious intermixing of races we have in present day - at least, in some parts of Malaysia, at the surface level. Nonetheless the way she writes about Malays and Muslims gave me the ick sometimes - literally using disdainful phrases like “you people”. And I know that the author is half Malay herself and thus contending with her own identity through the book, much like Jasmine is. However, Jasmine growing up Chinese and completely identifying as Chinese makes me feel as if I’m reading about a Chinese woman insulting Malays, irrespective of her ethnically being half Malay - to me, her newfound ancestry didn’t give her any green light to speak the way she does. She reeks of prejudice and the R-word element of the book consistently made me uncomfortable. I understood and sometimes empathised with a lot of the points she made, but delivery left a lot to be desired. Curiously, non-villainized Malay characters were also few and far between.

These are simply my personal opinions and I really hope I’m not misinterpreting what Bahrin intends, but at the same time, as I read on, my apprehension only mounted and I couldn’t deny my observations. Otherwise, the sociopolitical landscape she surfaces with this story is a cold, hard truth that Malaysians need to look into. Even though Jasmine has the luxury of money and privilege to fix her issues (and conveniently, the plot resolution), it doesn’t do away with the dirty underbelly of this country.

[gabrielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked reading this book; I liked the story; I liked how masterful Bahrin's writing is; I liked how this book talks about race and religion, formations of power, and cultural identity in Malaysia. There are some parts in this book that are not taught in school (e.g., the May 13 racial riots). However, I lost interest in the second half of the book - some parts of the story seemed random and did not have anything to do with developing the characters or storylines.

Overall, books and research papers about Islamic supremacy and racial discrimination in Malaysia are common but this book is one of the very few pieces of fiction literature that can bring an interesting light to look at the ethnic tensions in the country.

[Surah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I REALLY wanted to like it, I really do, but the writing just feels disjointed to me and that threw me off guard.

I did however enjoy the themes of hypocrisy, identity and beliefs!

It’s funny how her relationship with Iska is very similar to my own. Meeting in London, having a clash of beliefs and culture.

[Azita Rassi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Admirable subject, fascinating, especially for anyone who has lived in this country. Unfortunately, the writing is horrible. Cliché, superficial, stereotypical, melodramatic. Ugh. Wish the plot was given to a good fiction writer.

[Ming · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a solidly written book. The writing is straight-forward...plainspoken.

The story is all right but simplistic; it follows the formula for standard "romance" books. And the characters are achingly flat; they're caricatures. Jasmine does little reflecting about her "discovery," the central premise of the book.

I found the setting and the depiction of Malays and Malaysian society as a backdrop to be the most intriguing element here. Racism is institutionalized and state authorized in Malaysia. The story taps these factors to tell the story.

I'm not going to read more from this author. Also, don't believe the blurbs.

[Arystine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5⭐️
I now understand why this is the winner of Epigram Books Fiction Prize 2022.💖

Jasmineq Leong of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is set to be the next CEO of Phoenix Public Limited, her family’s billion ringgit company famously known for its bak kwa (Chinese pork jerky) and real estate business. Phoenix’s pork jerky is world-famous, a staple every Lunar new year among Malaysian Chinese. A sudden event, however, revealed that Jasmine is actually a Malay Muslim.

Jasmine, who was brought up as Chinese her whole life, suddenly faced judgments. Her appointment as the next CEO was challenged, as Muslims protested that a Muslim cannot head a company that produces pork jerky. Meanwhile, Jasmine is also torn between following her dreams in KL or venturing into the unknown, to escape the life that she refuses to accept.

Wow, what a journey it is to read this book. First, it brought me to Kuala Lumpur, a place I’ve been longing to visit ever since I saw the Petronas twin towers in a movie. I love reading about KL’s nightscape here. I felt as if I went to posh bars and restaurants with Jasmine. There’s also reference here to a Malaysian riot that happened in 1969. The book presented how KL rose from the ashes since then.

The book also took me to Ipoh, a town in Northern Malaysia, where Jasmine grew up under the care of her CEO grandmother. This place gives small town feels, where it’s only natural to go outside the village and eat fishball soup or bak kut teh.

I understand why this book won the Epigram Books Fiction Prize 2022. It depicts how a woman accepted her fate, a difficult one, where she knows she has to open her mind that what she had been working for her entire life might not be for her; that tradition, culture, and religion still prevails in Malaysia. That nothing is ever promised to girls, as Jasmine’s grandmother instilled to her since childhood.

This is a powerful story of a woman’s quest for love and niche in modern Malaysia. It is everything I expected in a contemporary Asian fiction. It’s a literary gem, a book that I would want to re-read in the future.

“To be a Malay today means to be Muslim, little else. Even that is not a constant, its borders shifting according to whoever shouts loudest.”

[Freddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is a light read which deals with some pretty heavy touchy topics, whose gravity might be somewhat lost to those less familiar with Malaysia. I like that it opts for a more over-the-top portrayal of the badly-behaving characters, instead of something romantic and representation-focused. The mildly comical approach to the story masks its tragic undertone.

[rina dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Accidental Malay is the story of Jasmine Leong, the heiress, to her family billion ringgit company called Phoenix. Jasmine has her future mapped out for her and knows where she wants the business to go, but when her grandmother, Madame Leong, unexpectedly passes away, everything is thrown into turmoil.
Family secrets are revealed, Jasmine is in the centre of a political controversy, and to top it off, she's torn between two men who love her. Can Jasmine carve a world for herself, or will she succumb to the fate history has designated for her.

I'm going to start this review by saying I'm not an own voices reviewer, so please check out the ones that are as I can't comment on the accuracy or depictions of certain communities in this book.
For me, The Accidental Malay is brilliant, I found it to be so addictive and struggled to put it down. When I wasn't reading it, I constantly couldn't wait to go back to it. The writing is razor sharp, I loved the sense of place, and I even grew to feel empathy with Jasmine. Although she is incredibly privileged, there was something that made me warm to her.
Not only was I thoroughly entertained I feel like I learnt so much more about the Malaysian culture, racial policies, and history and found it fascinating. Although I spent some time there when I was younger, I feel like my eyes were truly opened, and it's inspired me to continue learning.
I know this book is meant to be controversial, and again, I can't comment on that, but please be aware of that if you pick it up. I would absolutely recommend it. It's one of those books that you can quite easily binge on a sunny afternoon. If you like stories of womanhood and resilience then I suspect you would like this.

[Baljit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is set in contemporary Malaysia and brings to light the complicated issues of race, religion and Malaysia’s government policies which are skewed in favor of the Muslim majority.

Within the context of a family drama; one is introduced to various characters which make up Jasmine’s extended family. Jasmine may be a successful business woman but the ties that bind her to her family also suffocate her on occasion. Despite her cool facade she juggles a secret liaison with her old flame. He is also a victim of family ties and obligation. This sense of honor and family duty is q relevant in Asian communities, and one sees conflicts emerge.

After the demise of her grandmother, some family secrets come to light, and this opens a Pandora’s box. It raises questions about Identity and race, and the implications for all concerned, in the present and future.

Despite its tongue of cheek humor and somewhat dramatic characters, the storyline does broach relevant issues head on.

I do hope this writer continues highlighting such issues which are regarded locally as sensitive. Her writing is mature and the prose crystal clear.

[Mazhar Mazeed · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually had a good time reading this. It’s the kind of book where you switch of your brain and just speed through the pages. I love how it handles with themes that rarely rears it’s head in contemporary Malay literature (idk tbf, I don’t read much Malay literature so i might be totally making this up) such as the Malay hypocrisy, the weaponisation of religion etc. Apart from that, i think the plot weaves itself in a way that is convenient which diminishes the satisfaction i felt as i reached the book’s end. I chuckled alot though. This book points out many glaring details about Malaysian society that we choose to not address like adultery and halal/haram etc. The author deals with it light heartedly and i found it to be very humorous. It’s worth a read, you’ll go from the front to the back of the book in a day. So even if it sucks for you, you won’t feel like its an utter waste of time. But i assure you it doesn’t suck. Also, support local authors please :))

[Alice Yong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A captivating novel by Malaysian writer who won the Epigram Books Fiction Prize 2022.

Part love story with lots of home truths woven into the fictional single Chinese girl’s complicated personal life. There are family feuds, social land mines, age-old political complexities and racial prejudices different generations have to trifle with in the land known as Malaysia. Entertaining yet it provides some food for thought for those who are familiar with the country’s back story.

[Introvert Insane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review (let this video speaks for me because I have a love hate relationship with this book): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh-ec...
part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeXOY...

[Bash Harry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t often think books should be longer but this definitely should have been.

Because of the length, it barely touches on racial and religious politics in a deeper, meaningful way and characters are one-note without exploration. I wanted to enjoy it more than I actually did.